Friday, January 30, 2009

Ghosts on the ward

As a citizen of the 21st Century, it is surprising how often one has to remind oneself that we are not living in the middle ages. Hospital managers in Derby have called in an exorcist to expunge a ghostly figure who is tormenting staff and patients. Even Radio 4's Today programme saw fit to interview an exorcism expert, who answered the questions without a flicker of embarrassment. Apparently, we need only to pray to put the Roman soldier's spirit to rest; a full exorcism may not be required.

At no point, in any of the journalistic coverage, has anyone remarked that ghosts don't actually exist. The dead don't walk the earth with us and it's all a lot of gammon and spinach.